WESTFIELD – As the country continues to break daily records for the number of new COVID-19 infections, the local and state infection rates remain as the lowest in the nation.
The Town of Southwick last week reported zero new COVID-19 cases between June 25 and July 2. Health Director Tammy Spencer said on July 2 that the town was down to just a single active COVID-19 case. The total number of infections in the town since the pandemic began remains at 59.
In the same period of time, The City of Westfield experienced 10 new confirmed cases for a new total of 458. It is a slight increase from the totals of previous weeks, but not enough to be considered statistically significant.
The numbers come as Massachusetts continues to be one of few states that is trending downward in new COVID-19 infections. Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan took effect on Monday. Phase 3 businesses include gyms, movie theaters, museums and cultural sites, limited casino gaming floors, and professional sports without spectators.
Much of the rest of the country, however, is experiencing a rapid rise in new infections.
California, Texas, Arizona, and other states are reporting record numbers of new infections and hospitalizations, prompting fears of hospitals reaching their capacity.
Over the holiday weekend, when the number of new reported infections is typically lower due to lower testing, the country saw multiple days in which more than 40,000 new infections were reported. On Thursday, July 2 and Friday, July 3, the number of daily new infections topped 50,000 in the U.S.
